Wine Recommendation

Savannah-Chanelle Vineyards

The primary wine in the line of wines made at Savannah-Chanelle Vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains is Pinot Noir. The winery is owned by Michael and Kellie Ballard, who bought the property in 1996 and named it after their two daughters.

Former Shakespearan actor Tony Craig (onetime head wine maker at David Bruce Winery) makes Pinot Noirs from some of the best vineyards in the state, regardless of appellation. Among the small winery’s wines are Pinots from Armagh Vineyard (Sonoma Coast), Laetitia Vineyard (Arroyo Grande Valley) and this top-of-the-line Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley. Craig also believes in such appellations as his own estate in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Santa Lucia Highlands near Monterey, and elsewhere.

This wine has a delightful herbal-cherry and strawberry fruit aroma and a rich mid-palate. There is lush, ripe fruit and excellent acid in the finish.

The Wine

The Reviewer

Dan Berger

Dan Berger has been reviewing wine for 30 years,
always seeking character related to varietal type
and regional identity. He has never used numbers
to rank wine and doesn’t plan to start any time
soon. He believes that weight and concentration
aren’t the only worthy aspects of wine and is
especially smitten by cool-climate and
food-friendly wines that offer distinctiveness.

The Wine

The Reviewer

Dan Berger

Dan Berger has been reviewing wine for 30 years,
always seeking character related to varietal type
and regional identity. He has never used numbers
to rank wine and doesn’t plan to start any time
soon. He believes that weight and concentration
aren’t the only worthy aspects of wine and is
especially smitten by cool-climate and
food-friendly wines that offer distinctiveness.